The ‘Taxi of Tomorrow’, an idea introduced in 2009 to bring a complete redesign of the modern taxi to the city, is facing some bumps in the road.
The Greater New York Taxi Association has filed a suit challenging the plan because the vehicle chosen to be the ‘Taxi of Tomorrow’, a Nissan NV200, is not a hybrid, The New York Times reports.
The suit was filed because a section of the city’s administrative code states that the city must approve at least one hybrid electric vehicle model for use as a taxicab.
Under Nissan’s 10-year contract with the city, Nissan would be the sole manufacturer of all the city’s 13,000 taxis.
The Nissan NV200 design was approved last year and boasts such features as transparent roof panels and an exterior light that flashes when the horn is honked. But the vehicle also received criticism because it is not wheelchair-accessible, though officials say it can be retrofitted to allow for wheelchairs.
It is not yet clear how the city will handle the suit, according to The New York Times.
